Metro Detroit Area Golfers (NO COVID-19, POLITICS)

[Curmudg3on]

I had the chance to play Fox Hills - Golden Fox yesterday.   OMG.   If you haven't had the chance to play it, make the journey to Plymouth.  

[reperna]

11 hours ago, DennyJones said:

I had the chance to play Fox Hills - Golden Fox yesterday.   OMG.   If you haven't had the chance to play it, make the journey to Plymouth.  

definitely a solid course!

[Moo]

17 hours ago, DennyJones said:

I had the chance to play Fox Hills - Golden Fox yesterday.   OMG.   If you haven't had the chance to play it, make the journey to Plymouth.  

 

Golden Fox is groovy.  I started playing it the year it opened and was my first Arthur Hills course.  Then Lyon Oaks opened and I've not been back, but next summer I'm going to make a point to play the Golden again.

[hybrid25]

Played Greystone yesterday, weather is awesome, days are short. 

[Moo]

Lyon Oaks is closed for the season.  We did have about 10 golfers go out on Sunday at 42 degrees, gusts to 30 MPH and a few serious downpours (they stopped and the sun did come out).  They were brave and macho and I salute them!

Edited November 16, 2020 by Moo

[Jose c.]

Friday is looking good.

[3_Jack_Par]

Looks like Salem Hills, which had been set to close, will avoid being turned into McMansions

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.detroitnews.com/amp/6449085002

[Moo]

I think there is some golf on deck this week for the macho!

 

Unfortunately the only person who has confirmed (so far) they will play is a female buddy, but she is by far the most macho and will play in anything this side of a hurricane!

 

Last year I got the last round in on Dec 28.  I don't think that record is going to fall this year. 

 

 

 

 

[Moo]

Not many courses open this week, but I just got emails that Cherry Creek and Twin Lakes will open on Wed for a few days.  Twin Lakes appears to be a single time around 11 for a shotgun start, so once those are filled there will be no more that day (trying to get friends to play there Friday).

 

If you want to play with Teeoff for later this week, you better get busy booking because there are very few courses open and very few deals.  I'm playing both of the Troy courses on Wed and Thursday (which I only seem to do when there are no better choices...you can tell I'm not a fan of the Troy courses!).

 

Three good days of weather and we must play!

 

 

 

 

[Moo]

Last Friday might have been it for me for the year.  There is a massive amount  of cold air illegally crossing our border from Canada!

 

Twin Lakes did a 36 foursome shotgun start last Friday for $30, which was very cool of them.  That course is so much fun and I don't find it too difficult.  The greens were in amazing shape for Dec 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by Moo

[hybrid25]

2 hours ago, Moo said:

Last Friday might have been it for me for the year.  There is a massive amount  of cold air illegally crossing our border from Canada!

 

Twin Lakes did a 36 foursome shotgun start last Friday for $30, which was very cool of them.  That course is so much fun and I don't find it too difficult.  The greens were in amazing shape for Dec 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great pictures and I wish I were a part of it. Yes, the weather doesn't look that great for the near future, but all in all this start to winter hasn't been to bad. The longer we go without snow, the better. I just updated all my metals so I have extra desire to get out and try them. If not for a florida trip, then it will most likely be springtime. This winter might be more of a chore due to being locked in, can't do my other hobbies neither.  I am envious of those photos you attached, would love to play a game of golf.

[reperna]

anyone ever play the private side of wyndgate? Just wondering how it is and I never hear anyone talk about it. The regular course eats me up!

[cassel191919]

On 12/18/2020 at 10:25 AM, reperna said:

anyone ever play the private side of wyndgate? Just wondering how it is and I never hear anyone talk about it. The regular course eats me up!

Honestly it is one of the worst courses I have ever played.  It is in great condition and has a pretty cool cart path that is the good. It has about 9 to 12 quirky holes, I play it once a year in an outing and absolutely hate it.

[reperna]

Haha good to know!

[Sparty4202]

1 hour ago, reperna said:

Haha good to know!

I totally agree with him..I was not impressed with the layout

[Moo]

Looking at the forecast it's pretty safe to say that 2020 Michigan golf is a wrap.  Got in one last round yesterday at Sanctuary Lake (not my favorite course, but it always seems to be open).  The place was fairly busy for Dec 23, but still played in 3 hours and 57 minutes.  For some reason they decided to punch the greens in December, which is unusual and probably not very effective as the grass is dormant.  Then again, course maintenance is not exactly a priority at that course.

 

 

[hybrid25]

4 hours ago, Moo said:

Looking at the forecast it's pretty safe to say that 2020 Michigan golf is a wrap.  Got in one last round yesterday at Sanctuary Lake (not my favorite course, but it always seems to be open).  The place was fairly busy for Dec 23, but still played in 3 hours and 57 minutes.  For some reason they decided to punch the greens in December, which is unusual and probably not very effective as the grass is dormant.  Then again, course maintenance is not exactly a priority at that course.

 

 

I wanted to get out one more time this year because I exchanged some clubs out of my bag with new ones from Callaway pre-owned and wanted to give them a try. It doesn't look like a possibility for the near future but I guess there's always springtime. Sanctuary Lake does have some pros and cons for me, first I like that it is always open, and it's close to home. It is also a unique layout that you don't see that often, I guess the closest would be like Blackheath. It's pricing is rather High if you ask me, and they always want a credit card along with your reservation that I don't see too often at other courses. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of their greens were shut down as well which is a bit inconvenient. I don't know the pros and cons of aerating greens and it does seem rather strange to occur this late in the season, but maybe there is something good to it evidently. Frankly Speaking, give me a nice 60 to 70 degree day at Sanctuary Lake and I would be real happy right now! 

[Moo]

On 12/24/2020 at 3:41 PM, hybrid25 said:

I wanted to get out one more time this year because I exchanged some clubs out of my bag with new ones from Callaway pre-owned and wanted to give them a try. It doesn't look like a possibility for the near future but I guess there's always springtime. Sanctuary Lake does have some pros and cons for me, first I like that it is always open, and it's close to home. It is also a unique layout that you don't see that often, I guess the closest would be like Blackheath. It's pricing is rather High if you ask me, and they always want a credit card along with your reservation that I don't see too often at other courses. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of their greens were shut down as well which is a bit inconvenient. I don't know the pros and cons of aerating greens and it does seem rather strange to occur this late in the season, but maybe there is something good to it evidently. Frankly Speaking, give me a nice 60 to 70 degree day at Sanctuary Lake and I would be real happy right now! 

 

Sanctuary Lake is a quirky little course, but it's fun.  The routing is bizarre, but when you are converting land built on 1 billion poopy diapers, you have to work with what you've got.  I do like the iridescence sludge in the creek in front of the 15th hole.  It could be a much better course if they would reshape the 1st and 11th greens.  Those greens are stupid.  As for maintenance, they don't care.  It's been that way for years and that course gets the most play of all the courses in the Billy Casper network.  The people will come no matter what condition, so why bother?  I play it when there is no other choice.  Blackheath is far superior course.  It's not long, but it has some tricky and fun holes and the greens are usually in very nice condition.

 

As for punching greens, I'm not an expert, but I understand that you only do it during the growth phase of the grass.  All the holes they made will be there for months and months, as there zero new growth to fill them in.  And it appears they didn't bother to sand.  It looks like the work of someone that has no idea what they are doing.

 

60-70F is not the in the cards.  I play anytime the temp is net 35F.  So 45F with a 10MPH wind and I'll play. 

 

Hope you get to hit your new sticks soon.

[itw419]

If anyone here is a golf instructor or happens to know a golf instructor looking for a place to teach in the Detroit area  shoot me a PM. I work at a golf course and we are in the process of finding an instructor. I will provide more details over PM. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by itw419

[kgeisler13]

Anyone know of a 2 man team league on Tuesday evenings in the tri county area? Thank you

[reperna]

Does anyone have a recommendation on a local club builder?

[Curmudg3on]

14 hours ago, reperna said:

Does anyone have a recommendation on a local club builder?

 

I'm making the assumption that you are looking in the metro Detroit area.    Check out Miles of Golf in Ann Arbor or Carl's in either Plymouth or Birmingham.

[Moo]

Just reshafted all my irons and looking at the forecast for the entire month, it would appear NO GOLF FOR US!  I was hoping to break my record of Feb 24th for the earliest round, but that is not looking good.

 

Last Friday I went to the range and was really surprised to see how many people were hitting balls at 2 in the afternoon at 22F.  At least I got to try out all the new shafts, but I hate mats and I want some turf!

 

Let us hope for an early spring.

 

 

[Go_Blue!]

Miles of Golf has been ridiculous. Busiest I have ever seen it, and it's been like this for months. Kind of disappointing. Used to be able to go there early afternoon and work on my swing. Now you go and it's a cattle call. So many people.

On 2/16/2021 at 3:06 PM, Moo said:

Just reshafted all my irons and looking at the forecast for the entire month, it would appear NO GOLF FOR US!  I was hoping to break my record of Feb 24th for the earliest round, but that is not looking good.

 

Last Friday I went to the range and was really surprised to see how many people were hitting balls at 2 in the afternoon at 22F.  At least I got to try out all the new shafts, but I hate mats and I want some turf!

 

Let us hope for an early spring.

 

 

 

[cassel191919]

3 hours ago, Go_Blue! said:

Miles of Golf has been ridiculous. Busiest I have ever seen it, and it's been like this for months. Kind of disappointing. Used to be able to go there early afternoon and work on my swing. Now you go and it's a cattle call. So many people.

 

I have been getting there at 7:30 on Saturday and Sundays and it is packed by the time I leave. The addition of the top tracer range adds a lot of time to peoples range sessions.

[Moo]

Got in a round last Wed at Sanctuary Lake.  It was good to get out finally.  A bunch of metro courses are opening up this week (at least for the few good days of weather).

 

It's amazing how rusty you get after a winter.  43 front and 46 back.

[reperna]

Anyone know any local ranges close to clawson with grass tee boxes? 

[Moo]

No affiliation, but just giving a shout out for DC Golf Repair in Royal Oak (it's inside the range at 13 and Coolidge). 

 

Don just did some clubs for me and the guy does good quality work and he was pretty quick. 

 

Fellow's Creek on tap for today (never played there before) and Eagle Crest on Friday.  I've asked management, but no word yet on when Lyon Oaks will open.  I'll post as soon as I have an update.  Lots of courses will be opening next week.

 

http://royaloakgolfcenter.com/golf-repair/

Edited March 10, 2021 by Moo

[Moo]

Played Eagle Crest yesterday.  First time I had played it in 20 years and I forgotten a bunch of holes and got myself in lot of trouble.  I do not like the little rock gardens near many of the greens (my ball found those rock gardens a bunch of times).  Plus the wind was insane and that is not a great course to play in very high winds. 

 

Still, it is a very good design and well maintained.  I was surprised how good the greens were for this early in the season.  Gonna have to go back.

 

Played Fellows Creek for the first time last week.  Not too bad, but not sure I'd make the drive again.  I imagine it's much better in the summer.  Didn't love the sound from the traffic on 275, but that is only really loud on a few holes.  Again, the greens were in pretty nice condition.

 

 

[Moo]

Forgot.  Lyon Oaks is scheduled to open April 1 (assuming good weather).  Unfortunately rates are going up a bit this year.  Don't have the new rate sheet, but the big jump will be for seniors. 

 

Also, Twin Lakes is now open for walking 18 for $25 bucks.  I think I've only walked it one time long ago and it wasn't too bad.  There are a few holes that have bigger gaps between greens and tees, but overall it's walkable.